A Cloak With No Dagger
by Rusty Parker
Summary: A mare fresh on a start to her life on her own farm, Cider, finds a young filly collapsed during a snowstorm. She takes in the little foal and nurses her back to health, but the filly seems to not trust anypony she comes across. While she is able to come up with a passable story as to who she is, Cider can't help but suspect that there is a lot more to this than she could know.
1. Prologue

**A Cloak With No Dagger**

Written by: Rusty Parker

Edited by: Wanderwing

**-Prologue-**

Swirling in the high winds, white crystals floated and fluttered from bank to bank. The flurries twisted and churned as snow piled heavily across the ground. Apple trees, which up till recently, had shown their lively green leaves and round, plump apples of all colors now went bare in the chilling onslaught. While just that morning the fields were green and the skies clear, winter had now claimed the land and the sky alike. Held in the freezing grasp of a brutal blizzard, the farm seemed insignificant and lost in the sea of white.

Yet still, Apple Cider could not help but appreciate the beauty of such a storm. As she stood on the porch, a small overhang barely keeping the sheet of white at bay, she pondered just how long the snow would continue to fall through the night. It had been about an hour since the sun had set, and since then, the mare had stood watching the shifting winds filled with flakes of frozen water. The cold may have bitten at her nose, it may have chilled her hooves and frozen her home, but it was also something to take comfort in. She had pulled in a very successful bounty of crops this year, and had plenty to help herself through the winter just fine.

Cider finally snapped to attention when it was clear that the snow would only continue to build up through the night. She wasn't too keen on staying up so late on regular terms, a farmer had to rise with the sun, after all, but her duties as a farmer were over for the year now. Her blonde mane flowed too in the breeze, catching flakes of snow and holding them as she moved toward her plow. Her padded, orange vest and pure white scarf did well to shelter her baby blue coat from the cold, just as her white boots kept the wet slush away from her hooves. With wandering blue eyes, she found her plow up against the side of the house and wasted no time going to it.

The iron bar of the plow forced the cold through her vest as she pressed herself up against it. For a second, Cinder worried that the wheels would be frozen to the ground under all this snow, but it budged easily still. Using the plow, she was able to clear out a path that would later allow her to take the wagon out to town and pick up supplies she would need. While most would have simply waited till morning for a task such as this, the mare knew that heavy snow would only make this more difficult. She'd much rather go over the same track multiple times than have to somehow deal with a solid wall of snow all at once.

Within a few minutes, she was able to clear enough of a path to reach the road that lead to town. The snow had piled high for it having only been one day, it was already reaching her knees, but with being a farmer came strong legs. She could handle a lot more if she wanted, but then, getting cocky would also be her downfall. The banks around her rose much higher now, thanks to the added snow from the path she had cleared out.

Cider returned to the house, and then immediately set her focus on the barn. It was farther off than the road, and she'd need to reach if it she had hopes of eating any food that she'd stored there over the winter. Testing the plow, she let her legs ease up a bit, and stood tall and strong. With a breathe, she pushed her way to the barn, the flurries blasting her head on now as she went. She could feel the snow both blasting over her cheeks and forming on her forehead and nose. She had to wince to see with the blizzard suddenly growing so thick. Her teeth chattered a little in the cold, and it was plain that things were only getting worse.

Eventually she ended up against the barn, the path cleared. Relief spilled over her as she whipped the wet snow off of her face and felt her numb features return to life. It burned, but then, it also brought comfort to know that she didn't have to face the wind on her way back to the house. As she turned the plow around, readying it to head back to her home, something caught her eye. She froze suddenly as a patch of blue emerged from a bank of snow in the distance. Blinking, she almost immediately abandoned her plow to run out to it. As she approached, the snow around the blue object shifted with the wind.

Panic filled Cider as she saw a lock of red hair emerge from a fold in the blue cloth. Without stopping to think, she dug into the snow with her boots. Eventually, she had uncovered enough of the dusty frozen water to make out a face. Her eyes clenched shut and cheeks turning purple, the filly was plainly out in the freezing cold for a while now. Tracks mostly filled with snow lead to the point where she had fallen, and here she lay.

Cider had so many questions, but more than that, she had many fears. She did not wait to see if the filly was alright, she did not try to rouse her or check her pulse. Lifting the cold, half frozen filly to her back, Apple Cider instead rushed back to her house, leaving the plow abandoned. She didn't care about her fields or how beautiful the snow was so suddenly. If she was lucky, maybe she could save this filly… though it was up in the air. She had enough time in the freezing cold to become completely buried, after all.

Cider burst into her home and immediately tore off the wet, snow covered cloak that the small, yellow filly was wrapped in. The filly's hooves were, in addition to nearly being frozen, cut and split in many places. She'd been running through the woods and without heed for herself… Cider wrapped the filly in blankets, her red and white mane poking out from the wrappings, and then immediately set her down on the couch near the fireplace. She set a pot of water on the fire, and let it reach a boil while she soaked a towel in it.

The filly had a burning fever the likes of which could kill, and likely had gained frost bite in many places. Cider, when she was finally able to catch a breath, looked her over. Her mane had a white streak down the side, and her right ear bore a bandage that covered most of it. While the water began bubbling, she pondered what had happened that could lead this young filly to end up collapsed and alone in a snow bank. And where were her parents? Surely she didn't end up here alone. There had to be somepony out there looking for her right now. For the time being, she decided it was best that she simply made sure the filly had the best chances she could of making it through this… she'd need to call the doctor over tomorrow once this storm was gone.

Ringing out the warm towel, she placed it onto the filly's forehead. "You'll get through this," Cider whispered. "I just know it…" The howling winds did not end until long after the mare had fallen asleep on the floor beside the couch.


	2. Chapter 1 - Stories

**A Cloak with No Dagger**

Written by: Rusty Parker

Edited by: Wanderwing

**-Chapter 1-**

**Stories**

A blur came into focus as heavy lids slowly parted. Through the shimmering liquid, many colors melded together. Still dense and overbearingly heavy, her eyes were forced shut by the grip that the fatigue held over her mind. She wasn't sure if she was in danger, or if she would wake up again at all. Her whole body was sore, and she was so tired that nothing would move as she wished.

Having confirmed that she was no longer in a sea of white, however, her mind drifted off into empty space. She was asleep before she her eyes closed again.

…

Pain throbbed through her skull as the filly was forced awake by a sudden start. As if she was thrown across the room, she scrambled to get to her hooves. Breathing heavily, she jerked her head from side to side. Even then, her nostrils flared with frustration and eagerness as she made herself ready to give a fight if she needed to.

Ears flaring in all directions and turning around as quickly as she could, the filly soon realized she was in no danger at all. The room, save the furniture and a burned out fireplace, was empty. She blinked several times before the pain in her hooves overtook her. A gasp escaped her hanging jaw as she fell back onto her haunches, the pain swiftly shooting up her leg like lightning.

"What," she said before she inhaled deeply and sharply. "Happened?" Calming finally, she allowed herself to get her first real look at her surroundings.

The room was plain, and fit with light yellow wallpaper that nearly met her coat in shade. A simple carpet with dark blue and purple stripes overtook most of the floor, though it failed to reach the wall in all but one direction, and there was little furniture in the room beside the couch behind her.

The filly clicked her teeth together and let out an exasperated breath. She'd gone and freaked herself out for nothing, she thought. Her velvet eyes traced the couch to the blanket that still twisted its way beneath her fallen rump, and her displeasure at having fallen off the cushiony trap radiated from her like a rancid odor.

Looking down at the soft blanket below her, she noticed that her hooves were wrapped in some sort of linen. She lifted the one on the right and rolled neck around to see it fully. There seemed to be some care taken in pulling the fabric smoothly and yet still gently over her pained limb, although she couldn't imagine who had done it. Probably some local that thought that she was just a lost little foal, she speculated. To some degree, she guessed that it was true!

Lightly pushing her wrapped hoof up to her neck, she began to pull the ankle across her hood when it occurred to her that something was drastically wrong. She rubbed her hoof against her crimson, mangled mane, but did not find the fabric she so endearingly clung to. Her breathing quickened as she again reached for it and found that it was still not there.

Scrambling to her hooves in a rush, she turned around and looked where she had fallen only to find the circle of blankets she had formed when she twisted on the floor. The filly spun herself around, looking to all corners of the near empty room to search for her beloved hood. Her eyes locked on the fireplace and the very thought of what might have happened forced a gasp from her chest. She backed up several steps before she bumped into a cold, thin pole behind her.

About to scream, the filly held her breath and twisted her neck around to see a coat hanger above her, and more prominently, her beloved cloak hanging from it. Fresh air entered her lungs again as she allowed herself a breath, cursing herself for being so silly as to suspect it to have been burned. The thing certainly was ragged, but she'd never give it up for the whole world.

With a swift motion, she swept the rag from its place on the curving hook and wrapped it around herself. She fastened the think twine just tight enough to stay put around her neck, but loose enough that it wasn't uncomfortable. Her velvet eyes darted from side to side before she pulled the hood over her head.

In the embrace of such a rag, many had taken her for being of a poor family, and in many ways, it had helped her. She could easily have replaced this blue rag, and truly enough, it would have helped to keep her warm, but she simply could not part with it. Beyond the physical warmth she felt from it, there was also a rising in her chest when she wore it. The cape and hood had been hers since she was little, and it was one of the first decisions she had the privilege to make. She simply couldn't part from it, even if it caused her more harm than fortune to keep it.

With her mane and ears concealed properly, the filly tested her hooves. While they stung from their burns, she was confident that she could manage to walk on for miles and still be fine. A faint smirk crept over her face, before it was sorely interrupted by the growling of a beast. At first she flinched, sure that she was about to be pounced upon. It was the aches, however, that let her know the truth; she was hungry beyond measure.

Wobbling from side to side with each step, the filly made her way through the simple house. It was plain to tell that whoever lived here didn't have much to their name; there was hardly any decoration anywhere. Most families passed down trinkets or heirlooms to their younger members when they moved out. The practice was common, she had found, throughout not just the richer areas, such as Canterlot, but also in all of Equestria. Pondering this and many more things, such as where she even was, the filly stumbled her way into the kitchen.

"Oh! You're awake!" said a voice from across the room as a unmistakable smell was wafted under the young girl's nostrils. The rich smell of cinnamon mixed with baked apples made her moth practically swelter with saliva. "I guessed you'd be hungry when you woke up. That bowl of apples is a special recipe I've been working on. Why don't you have a bite before y'all start explaining to me who you are?"

While there was little reluctance to eat away, she still chewed each bite slowly, mulling over the strange mare's inquiry. Of course she wanted to know who she was, the filly thought as she bit into one of extra juicy chunk of apple. The taste cleared her mind of worry just as it filled her belly with warmth. As she chewed, the she also was sure to observe the room for all possible exits. She had to have a way out if things got bad. There was no telling what would happen if this local knew who she really was.

Before she swallowed the last piece of apple, the cloaked filly smiled to herself. It was fortunate that she had picked up her things right away; nothing was holding her here now.

"So then, what might I call you?" asked the mare as she leaned against the counter behind her. Hanging from the wall above was a clock, which ticked away second by second from one forty-eight. Several seconds passed by as the filly simply stared at the mare, looking her over with weary eyes.

"I'm… Dreary Cloak," she choked out after several moments.

The soft blue mare lifted an eyebrow, as if in question. "Why the trouble over saying _that_?" A few seconds passed as she thought and Dreary looked around the room. She knew she had to be ready to bolt as soon as she had the chance. "Oh… I see!" The filly stopped herself from moving as the other pony's bouncing eyes came to her once again. She silently cursed the old coot of a mare. "You don't have to be shy with me, Dreary. I had trouble talkin' to other ponies when I was your age too."

"I don't have trouble talking!" she protested instantly, blushing. The red in her cheeks faded as she calmed herself. The pressure building in her blood eased as it came to be apparent that her new friend was still completely oblivious. "I just… I don't like my name is all!"

"That's just silly o' ya, Dreary." She smiled warmly, trying to reassure her. "It is a good name, and your parents must be happy to speak it whenever they get the chance."

"Y-…yea. Right," she stammered, the thought of her parents happily calling her name all too amusing to her. She could barely hold in the chuckle.

"My name's Cider, by the by. Apple Cider," she announced as she walked around to the door, her blonde main swaying past her shoulder. Tying it in a ponytail was a neat little red bow tie. Cider observed the frosted over window, and took in a deep breath. "Y'all are lucky Dreary… I am surprised you were even able to walk in here with your hooves hurt like they were."

Looking at her bandaged hooves carefully, Dreary could only nod in agreement. She had been running for so long, and her hooves had gotten so numb that she couldn't stand anymore. Cut as they had been, she couldn't feel them by the time she collapsed. It took her a second to realize that she'd be dead if it weren't for this strange mare's rescue… though what she wanted, the filly could only guess at. She doesn't seem to know yet, at least.

Turning from the window, Cider came to her with an expression more serious than she had shown before. The mare sat across from the bandaged filly, and placed her hooves on her own seat as she stared into her eyes. Dreary's heart pumped faster as her eyes avoided the older mare's. "So Dreary… are you okay?" She nodded slowly, looking off to the window to avoid looking at the stabbing stare. A moment passed in silence as she continued to silently contemplate what was happening. "Do you have parents? Grandparents? Guardians of some kind? Somepony must be looking for you," she asked gently.

Dreary tore her eyes away from the window and gave a cold stare to the mare across the wooden table. For a moment they both simply looked into one another's eyes, and neither spoke a word. "I don't… Nopony at all," she finally said, her voice even and solid. The filly sounded utterly indifferent to the very idea of such a thing even existing.

"Ah see... I'm sorry," she replied as her eyes finally broke away from the filly's. "Do you know what happened to them?"

"I was too young… My parents were just there one day, and gone the next. I've been looking for them, actually." The filly's voice strained and twisted as she spoke, breaking on certain sounds. She knew what she was doing, and as far as she could tell. Again, her blood slowed as she finally calmed down. The situation was under control. Silence passed between the two.

Cider looked around the room, a sad look painting her face. In some way, Dreary felt, she must understand. Pain lurched inside her as she empathized with the mare… she could only imagine what memories tortured her. As the mare traced lines in the table's wood, her expression seemed to soften. "I can't let you do that on your own, then. We'll find your parents together, Dreary. I was just heading into town, and I can certainly start asking right away!"

"You'd… help me?" Dreary asked, shocked to her hooves.

Smiling, she nodded in response. "Of course I would! S'only what's right, after all!"

"Oh… thank you! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed with maybe a bit too much cheer. Inwardly, however, she sulked. Everything was going so well, and all of a sudden, somepony had to get involved. Dreary made a mental note to try and not and be so enthusiastic in the future. One good thing was coming out of this however; the old fool was about to leave.

"Alright then," Cider said as she wrapped a long pink scarf around her neck. Several wool balls hung from each end and swayed as she moved. "Ahm gonna get going into to town to see what everypony knows. You stay here, and get some rest. Anything in the pantry is yours, so long as you leave me one of the cupcakes!"

Heading for the door, she paused, and twisted her head toward her once more before she headed out. "Oh, and try to stay off those hooves. I'm no doctor, but they won't be good to be walking any good distance anytime soon. Stay here till I get back, I shouldn't be more than a few hours anyhow!"

"Right then, Bye-bye Cider… and thanks."

Inwardly, the filly glowed with an itching eagerness. She felt every pump of her little heart pass in its own individual moment as the mare slowly closed the door. With a creak and a thud, the thick piece of wood, which was painted a faded white, closed behind her. Silence emanated for several long moments as the filly sat in place waiting and listening for any sign of her return. It took significant effort to keep her posterior placed firmly in place as she let the seconds pass by.

When she was sure that the mare had been long gone from her home, Dreary finally rose to her hooves. Her knee twitched at first from the pain in her right front hoof, causing her to stumble as she hit the floor. Balance thrown off, she tripped over herself and nearly fell face first into the cabinet door that was shaped from the board hung from the counter. Mere inches away, she planted her hoof firmly in front of her, skidding her momentum to a sudden stop.

Dreary silently let out a sigh, as she felt the pain shoot back up her leg again from the impact of her hoof. Wincing, she lifted the hoof slowly and took a step toward the door. Cider may have been right about her hooves, she thought, but she couldn't be here when the coot got back home. She'd surely run into _him _there, and if Dreary had any luck left in her, it wouldn't be enough to stop her from finding out who her new filly friend really was.

Slowly, the young little draped filly made her way out the door. She was careful not to hurt herself any more than she already had, though it was difficult to avoid now. This wasn't going to be an easy trip, she knew, but it was one she knew she'd have to make if she was to be free.

…

Dull light poured from the teetering lantern as it swayed from its rope, a single fly buzzing around it with determination. Though the warm glow illuminated the area around it well, it left the rest of the room feeling empty, as if it yearned to bath in light as well. Dark corners seemed to be pits of endless space, the creaking old planks vanishing from sight as they extended into the void. The fine marble surface of the bar gleamed in response to the swinging flame, splashing light in every which direction.

"Thanks, Cider, this will do nicely. You'd be surprised how many ponies in this town will still order this stuff ice cold even in these chilling times!" exclaimed the broad chested pony behind the counter. He grinned graciously at the hefty barrel that sat atop his bar, satisfied with the load.

"Who wouldn't want some of ma' family's old fashion cider? The fizz feels just so light when it's goin' down," Cider replied with pleasure. Her namesake certainly was getting its money's worth, it seemed. Suddenly, all that hard work she'd done these past few weeks seemed oh so worth it.

"Well I won't be keeping you any longer then, friend. Wouldn't want anyone to go and try to drink you, now, would we?" the old bar tender joked before chuckling slightly at his own joke. Old Mr. Brunal was always really kind to her, and it was plain to tell why his bar was the most popular hub in town. The heavyset stallion had seen a lot in his day, and his crow's feet weren't shy about showing it. Cider smiled as he calmed down.

"Sorry, sorry!" he announced as his chest heaved. "Can't keep my mouth shut sometimes. Anyhow, I recon you have some more deliveries to be making? Cider can't be the only thing an apple farmer puts out."

"Well I do have some more supplies to drop off at the grocer before I pick some things up for ma' self, but I am in no hurry to…" she dragged off, her eyes locked on a newspaper that lay open and abandoned atop the bar.

Inscribed across the top of the page closest to her in big, bold letters was the title, "Lost Foal Still Eludes Rescue." There was a column of text on the article directly below, but it was the finely printed image that caught and held Cider's attention. A dark manned filly with a wavy white streak that ran to the bun tied at the neck sat upon an old looking stool that was much taller than she. Her teeth showed in her smile with a gleam, and her eyes stared out of the image as if she was really looking straight at her observer. Notably, also, was the curved notch cut into the filly's right ear where the fleshy web of her lobe was parted.

"Cider?" Mr. Brunal asked from behind the bar. Shaking her head, she finally was able to pull her eyes away. Concern painted her friend's face with a fresh coat.

"Do you know who this is?" she asked after a moment, motioning toward the newspaper. Brunal worked his jaw as he looked at the filly in the picture.

Frowning, the stallion shook his head. "I'm afraid I've not seen a filly like this before. Seems more like the big city type ta' me, but I wouldn't-"

"That she is," a voice from farther down the bar cut in. Sitting at the very edge of the marble slab upon the very last stool was a well-dressed and lean pony with parted black hair. The lantern swayed, splashing light onto his face. He wore fine drapes, the likes of which few wear in the countryside unless there is a special event. There was a gleam in his crystal blue eye as he rose from his seat and stepped away from his tall, half emptied glass. "You wouldn't happen to have seen my dearest niece around, now would you?"

"Your niece? Is that who this is?" she asked with interest, though she wasn't sure what to think. She knew that the filly in the picture was undoubtedly Dreary; there was no amount of dirt and grime that could change that face of hers. New suspicions popped into Cider's head by the second as the well pressed pony smiled at her with confidence.

"Indeed she is. We've been looking for our dearest Yulie for weeks now, but every lead we get seems to get us nowhere," he looked to the paper with distant eyes. "It has been hard on us all. But you seem to recognize her picture, from what I can tell." He took a step forward, tilting his head slightly. "You've seen her somewhere here, haven't you? Oh please, she's so dear to us!"

"I… I don't rightly know if I have, to be honest. Has she been missing long?" Cider asked with peaking curiosity. She was going to get to the bottom of this, and she had a suspicion that this stallion had all the answers she was suddenly wishing for. Just what was "Dreary," which she was certain wasn't her real name, up to?

He looked to the bartender and then back to her, and then sat on the stool beside her. His cutie mark showed slightly from under his dark overcoat, appearing to be a scroll with long, purple ribbon sealing it. "We have much to discus, my friend. Where do I even begin?"

"I guess you'll have to tell me the full story. I sure as sugar am interested in seein' just what I could do to help. That is, if ya' don't mind, Mister-"

"Moonbeam. Joel Moonbeam," he answered softly.

"Yes, Mister Moonbeam."

"I have all the time in the world, so I don't see why I shouldn't explain the whole deal for you," he turned to Brunel then, and smiled. "I'll buy the drinks, sir. Just put it all on my tab."

Brunal smiled and winked in reply. "It would be my pleasure to get you anything the two of you might wish for, Mr. Moonbeam."

"Thank you, it is a generosity I am not accustomed to. Most in Canterlot expect you to cake their pockets with so much money to do anything for you, I will not forget your kindness," he said beaming. Turning back to Cider, his right rear hoof tapping lightly against the wood that held up the countertop, he grinned. "Let me start with a little history behind my family, it takes a bit to understand just why everything has happened as it has."

Cider felt her stomach drop as she sat and prepared herself to absorb a bunch of information. She had an itching feeling that it would be dark by the time she was able to get out of this bar. Her curiosity, however, kept her feeling positive about the situation. Whatever Joel would tell her, she felt she'd need to understand it better than even he would.

Brunal dropped two full and sloshing glasses of cider on the counter between the two. As Joel opened his mouth, the allure of the drink took hold of her and Cider drank deeply as she listened. A long afternoon was indeed before her.


	3. Chapter 2 - Something Found,

**A Cloak with No Dagger**

Written by: Rusty Parker

Edited by: Wanderwing

**-Chapter 2-**

The sun hung low in the distance, the crimson colored light pouring and reflecting off the fine white landscape like a magnificent mirror. A few small swirling clouds were all that remained of the storm that had barreled through the valley like so many stampeding bison just the night before, and the clear view was pleasing. For a time, it looked like the clouds would only loom like monsters overhead for an indefinite time. For a short time, the light would bounce off the crystals of water that caked the land like fresh frosting on a cake before the sun would fall behind the distant mountain. The sight for now was beautiful, but only for this brief moment.

The snow, the rocks, and even the patches of dirt here and there all stung to step on. It wasn't nearly so bad at first, with a decent job starting the long trip down the road even, but as time went the discomfort only built. It must have been an hour at the very least, and the condition of Dreary's hooves did not improve at all. It was getting bad enough that she knew she'd need to stop soon, even if it meant turning around and going back to the town she'd past by not so far back.

Thinking about it, she couldn't do much else. The landscape here was so open, and unlike the cities she was used to, barely anypony lived out here. The rolling, nearly empty hills revealed only a few houses here and there, and then some seemed to be falling to pieces even from so far off. It was stupid of her, she knew, but she'd been so rash when she left. Maybe that mare had been right, she thought for a moment. She really should have stuck around.

"I'll turn back I guess…" she said aloud, a puff of fresh white mist rising from her mouth as she let it open and close gently. For the moment, however, she needed a rest, regardless of how badly she'd need shelter tonight. Easing herself down to her rump, the filly sat on a patch of dirt revealed only by the plows that were used to maintain roads during the winter.

In the snow below her, she could see the shining of the red sun as it bounced off and back into the air. Slowly, Dreary closed her eyes and let herself think as she rested her sore hooves. Just how long had it been since she'd seen her family? She couldn't stand the thought, and almost immediately dropped it. Something inside her though reached out and gripped at what was left of the strand of memory, something that compelled her mind to continue on its strand of thought.

Thinking about her family could only hurt, and she knew that all too well, but at times like this it simply couldn't be stopped. She'd almost prefer the pain that would come with her hooves bleeding from hours of running. As she sat, she could feel her eyes start to water below the lids.

Try as she may, she could not hold back her thoughts. A tear slipped between her left eyelids and rolled down her cheek, chilling her skin as it soaked through her coat. So many memories flew through her head as she relived that day, and all she could think was a simply question; _why?_

"Why Angie… why?" she whimpered as yet more tears rolled down her cheeks.

…

Sweat dripped from the nearly empty mug as the light swung gently above, its light fighting to overcome what was left of the setting sun. Through the window, the sunset shined magnificently enough to cast much darker shadows than the lantern, though that would gradually change as the sun fell lower and lower to its resting place beyond sight.

Bags under her eyes, Cider looked at the astute earth pony with a vague expression of fear. Her eyes widened slightly as he unveiled all that happened and now she was left nearly shaking with the feeling that the poor thing's niece needed help immediately. Were it not for her uncertainty about Dreary, she'd have already gone back to pull the filly to him.

At first, from the image alone, she was sure that the filly she'd found was his niece, but the way he described her was so different from how the filly acted. Joel spoke of a foal that never lost her smile, who always played with others, and even seemed to be gaining some upper hoof in the games they'd played. Looking back at that morning, Dreary didn't look like she'd ever smiled a day in her life. While she was sure that wasn't the case, it still bewildered her to find such a different attitude from somepony who fit the description so very well.

With the things that had happened to this poor filly… she could almost understand why the change would occur. "That's just horrible, Mr. Moonbeam!" she said in a near whisper. If Cider had known this stallion had been suffering so much, she'd have brought him right along with her to help start a search that would not end till they fund his dearest little Yulie. Given the shock of his experiences, the stallion's composure was shocking. He seemed so calm and collected, and he even smiled from time to time. What that grin hid she could only conceive of.

"I… I am sorry, could you give me a moment," Joel asked, his voice nearly cracking. "It always hits me like a brick when I realize just what it is I may have done," the stallion rose to his hooves and moved toward the door, his eyes heavy and seemingly empty. From behind his counter, Brunal frowned as he placed fresh sparkling dishes on in his cupboard. The mare looked on with a frown as the poor lost pony moved out the door and into the bitter winter air.

"I need to help him," she announced as soon as the door shut behind him. Brunal looked at her with a grim expression, but nodded. "I can't imagine going through that… I mean… my family and I never got along much, but we never… I can't believe such things could happen!" Cider stood suddenly and walked herself in a circle, her head hanging low and her eyes glued to the floor as she pondered the possibilities of what could have gone wrong in her own past. Her blond ponytail fell to her chest as she raised her head and, under her breath, whispered, "I need to check on them fools more often."

A few moments passed in silence, and the sun grew ever dimmer with each passing minute. Eventually the ticking of the clock on the wall grew so loud; it threatened to drive the mare mad. With a huff, she walked toward the door.

"Cider… I don't know what you will do when you come across her, but please… be kind to the little filly. Ah bet she's got a lot going on too," Brunal said as she reached her hoof toward the wooden frame. Pausing for a moment, the mare took a moment to breathe in deeply and nodded before she pushed her way out. He was right, she realized. She was getting really tense about this Yulie.

Outside, Joel sat on his haunches staring off into the distance with glazed over eyes. Slowly, she trotted over beside him, and looked to him with worry. He noticed her, and opened his mouth to talk. "I," he coughed, his voice hoarse and deteriorated from the strong one he'd been using before. He cleared his through and swallowed with a gulp before he tried to speak again. "I am sorry I ran out on you… it's just that when I talk about it… I relive it. Finding that after a long, happy day of work just broke me."

Cider nodded in response, understanding fully what he meant. "It's alright, Joel… ya'll don't have to apologize to me." He grinned lightly, and returned his gaze to the horizon past the shop across the dirt street. "You know, it's hard to explain, but I can sort of understand what's going on here, at least to some degree. I didn't fit in much with my family and decided to move out here instead of staying bunkered down in some big city with all those fancy machines… I just couldn't stand all the smog and," she trailed off, noticing that his eyes had grown wide. The stallion shook slightly, and rose to his feet with his jaw dropping slightly.

Gapping as he was, Cider tilted her head to see what he had seen. She almost shared her reaction with a start. Limping slowly down the side of the road just a block down the street was a small, blue-hooded figure with a protruding red tail. "How did she-"

"Yulie!" Joel shouted as he nearly tripped over his own hooves. "Yulie, you're here!" The filly turned around with a start and fell forward on a stray patch of smooth ice. She collide with a resounding smack, and cracked ice protruded from where she'd hit. There she lay twitching and grabbing at her head where she had landed as her uncle came to hold her close in a panic. "Yulie no! No, please be okay! I can't lose you too!" he cried as he pulled her off the ice. Cider didn't waste any time gapping, she ran off to the doctor's office to get help. Looking over her shoulder, his hunched figure quivered over the filly.

_Why didn't you just stay inside like I told you?_ She thought to herself, eyes beginning to water. If only she'd brought the filly with her...


	4. Chapter 3 - The Lost One

**A Cloak with No Dagger**

Written by: Rusty Parker

Edited by: Wanderwing

**-Chapter 3-**

**The Lost One**

White walls gleamed with the light from many glowing stones that radiated their magic from within. Enchanted as they were, the very color of the crystalline rocks shown from them and splashed over any surface they illuminated. The walls were not painted anything but stagnant white, but thanks to the lights color bloomed magnificently. Down the hall, the gleam of red, violet, pink then red again gleamed happily as a "clopa-clopa" echoed in either direction. It seemed like time was passing by slower and slower with each falling of the stallion's well groomed hooves.

Head hung low, Joel couldn't help but worry. Many doors lined the passage, but only one held his interest. He'd lift his head slightly, and lock his eyes onto the hand of the single thing that mattered; the door knob to room D-twenty seven. Imprinted in black, the number gleamed with a combination of red and violet, the colors mixing as they met across the door.

Unsure of how much time had passed, the fair horse fixed his mane and tried to push a stray hair back into place. Regularly, he had no trouble maintaining his mane as to prevent looking like he'd just rolled out of bed, but with what was happening his hair was nearly jumping from his head. He couldn't believe he'd finally found her… and that now she might well be gone the same as her cousin.

"They'll come for us soon, Joel," Cider reassured from the bench beside the door. They were both restless, though in different ways. The young mare was worried sick and seemed to retract into herself much more than he'd seen her before. This was the first time she'd spoken since they'd been told to wait by one of the nurses, and that they were doing everything they could for his niece.

"That's not what I'm worried about," he said dryly. He'd been waiting before. It was nothing new, nothing that he couldn't deal with. The real part of all this that strained him was not having a clue what would happen behind a closed door. He had hope the first time he had to wait. He had hope and was so ready to smile and cry when that door finally did open. Now he knew he'd not smile. He could feel it in his gut; things could go so terribly wrong so fast.

He finally sat down, his cutie mark popping out slightly from his frayed coat. An old looking, wavy piece of paper with a pen feather laying across it was visible for only a second as he corrected his posture. While he had removed his coat and draped it over the bench's arm, he still was still rather picky about his outfit. He wondered if he seemed selfish in trying to make himself look right when such a tragedy was in the works, though he plainly knew there was nothing he could do to correct that. His little habits were only ways to distract him at this point.

Cider shifted slightly and turned to more directly face him. The lines under her eyes had grown much deeper, though he suspected he was no different. "I know that Yulie is your niece, Joel, but she is very strong," she paused, having to draw her gaze downward to gain more confidence to speak. "I've seen that look before. She's got some good willpower in her, and you should have seen the cuts on her hooves when I found her. She didn't stop until her little body simply wouldn't move anymore."

"I saw the bandages… I am guessing that was you?" Joel asked and she nodded in reply. "Thank you, Cider. Thank you on her behalf… I'll have to make sure she doesn't do anything so crazy again. The worry her parents must be feeling now must be driving them absolutely mad!"

"I could only imagine how that must feel," Cider noted almost to herself.

Joel, who had been in his own shoes before this, was one to know about worry. The only hope he could hold onto now was that they wouldn't have to go through his own pain. The stallion tensed up, his back shaking slightly as he held his hooves close to himself.

A few minutes later, as they both flinched at the sudden sound heading toward them, the door swung open. The old stallion, with parted hair that came back down to his forehead in a heap, took in a deep breath and readied himself. The time had come to find out if there really was any hope left in all of Equestria for him.

…

Petals of white and pink fluttered down in a rain as the wind twisted and churned them from the branches. Knurled wood curled its way up the finely cut stone as it reached for the light, where the leaves growing from it could gather light to provide for the tree's young as they grew and blossomed into seeds. As light sparkled brilliantly through the soft petals, so did the small creek that ran through the garden gulch and spatter onto the fine stone beside it. The water sparkled on the surface, and the brightly colored carp below seemed to beam from the warmth.

Looking into the reflection, the young earth pony could only imagine how she'd manage to deal with another day at school. This day past had been so long and strenuous, she almost felt like crying. The carp nibbled at the surface as she stared, hungry as ever for food from its masters. Sprinkling some pellets into the pond, she sighed heavily as the wind again brought a stray hair from her tightly tied bun to fall before her eyes. She blew at it, too dejected to even bother fixing it.

"You know you should really try to feed these guys a little less," a voice called from behind, as if from nowhere. Eyes widening, the yellow filly whirled around quickly as she could with a gasp. "Oh no, Yulie? I didn't frighten you, did I? Oh I knew I should have been a little more noticeable with my approach," the young mare frowned as the filly's eyes widened. The fluttering red hair seemed of little concern anymore, and before she could say another word, the mare was on her back.

"You're back! You're back you're back!" she shouted with joy as the light gray mare giggled. Though she wore her hair in a bun much like Yulie's, she some of it was let loose to fall gently to the side and curled up slightly at the end. The dark green of her mane matched her fine robe, as always.

"I'm glad to see you haven't forgotten me after so long! You were really young, after all, when I left to take on school on the other side of Equestria," she paused as the filly frowned and batted at her stray hair slightly. "Oh my poor Yulie… I am sorry I brought that up."

"It's okay… I was the one who couldn't pass the test to get in while you were away," she said as she sat. "Mom and Dad were so upset, I thought they'd never let me back out of my room."

"Hey, don't be so down on yourself. You're still really smart, silly filly!" she reassured with a smile. Pushing her snout into the filly's shoulder, she pulled her into a light hug. "You'll do fine anyway; that school wasn't really too special to be honest. I expected more," she noted as she lifted a leg and smiled.

Though the situation she'd been in was dire, the filly couldn't help but grin at her cousin. It had been years since she'd gone to some far off town to learn from a big, upstanding university, and Yulie almost felt like she'd never see her again. She was simply overjoyed that she was actually back.

They talked at length then, though no real topic whisked the conversation away. As they talked, a strange feeling settled over the yard. The trees seemed to blur into brightly colored clouds against the clouds, and their discussion seemed to be almost of nothing. Thinking about it too much, they almost seemed to only be moving their mouths. Time seemed to pass in an instant.

It seemed more than an hour had passed by the time that Yulie's fears from her current situation peeked into her mind enough to distract her. She simply couldn't stop thinking about the pressures her parents were putting on her as she struggled her way through school. They raged within her like a whirling storm.

"Are you all right, Yulie?" she suddenly found her cousin asking. Blinking, she opened her mouth to answer but couldn't quite find anything to say.

"I," she stopped and thought, working her thin jaw as she did. "I just feel so bad about school. Mom and Dad never stop pushing me to be better, and they're never happy with how I do."

Her cousin gave an understanding and concerned look, and nodded for her to continue. Her eyes were so bright; she knew she couldn't stop now. Everything came with time, though her description was a little lacking for she couldn't fully say how she felt or why she was so upset.

"Don't let them stress you out so much, they are just concerned about you," her cousin finally said as she hugged the filly. "I know you are smarter than they think; please don't blame them for worrying about you. It's tough, but you can make it through."

Pulling herself away, Yulie looked up to the mare. "You'll be here from now on, right? You're… you're not going off to some other school anymore?"

"Of course not," she said after a short pause where she looked off to the buildings that lined the streets past the yard. Her voice sounded distant, almost like she was actually speaking from a couple yards away. "I will be right here with you all the way, you can trust me that far." As she spoke, she pulled Yulie in close and rubbed her head gently with her hoof. Nuzzled as she was, Yulie closed her eyes and couldn't help but gasp as she cried with joy.

Her one and only friend was here to stay, and as she let her tears flow, she felt better and better for it. The wind shifted directions as she held her cousin close, and it for once was nice to have it shifting through her hair and chill her slightly. For some time they stayed there, simply holding each-other close.

"I am so glad you came back, Angie. Everything was getting so scary and… I… I don't," she stopped, suddenly unable to continue speaking. The wind blew fiercely then, and as she opened her eyes, she saw the tops of trees in every direction. Her head still being rubbed with tears in her eyes, she was suddenly out of breath.

Lying before her was a plane of sweetly green grass, which was so lush it practically gleamed. Grey clouds floating overhead, she slowly traced her eyes up to the flowers, which were rich in their blooming. Pink and orange petals and yellow stalks accented the grass brilliantly, and really brought the scene to life. The gleaming marble that was erected behind it was shining with the scene's reflection, though its text brought her eyes to widen more than any scene.

_Here lies Angie Moonbeam, an early and regretful loss to all who had come to know and love her. May her memory brighten our lives as she had done so beautifully, and may we all come to learn from the loss we've suffered. Also, may Celestia bless her in her journey to a better place._

_976 – 993_

Yulie couldn't stand it, this simply couldn't be true. She looked around to all the ponies dressed in black, and to the sad faces looking down at her. She wept deeply as she did, but nothing could contain what was to come. She screamed, and she screamed for more time than she could feel.

As her lungs wailed out sad notes, everything around her faded from her mind. She was alone, and she was helpless. Angie had promised her she'd be there, and so swiftly she abandoned her. She wasn't good enough to please her parents, and none of the other students at school would ever like her. Worst of all, though, was the immense pain building in her forehead as she tried to conceive of her cousin's loss.

She felt as if bare branches had reached their way around her throat, and were constricting tightly. Soon they would come to constrict around her entire body, and she too would be buried with her cousin. Hiding inside herself was all the hope she had.


	5. Chapter 4 - Confession

**A Cloak with No Dagger**

Written by: Rusty Parker

Edited by: Wanderwing

**-Chapter 4-**

**Confession**

Darkness enveloped all as sounds rummaged all about. Echoing in what felt like an open and empty room, they sounded almost like hoof-steps and the shuffling of clothes. Try as she might, her eyes wouldn't open. They were too heavy, and only the twisting colors of her mind were visible, as if she'd just looked into a bright light and closed her eyes. "I just don't know, okay? She wasn't with me for the longest time," a familiar voice echoed not so far off, maybe even in another room.

Another, unfamiliar voice responded after a moment of hesitation. "What do you mean? You're not her father, Mister Moonb-"The voice faded slowly into nothingness. She wanted to move, wanted to get up and to hear more, but her mind simply wouldn't allow it. Off her mind drifted before she could do anything at all.

…

"Of course I am not her father!" he stated aggressively. The doctor tilted his head questioningly to this, seeming not to get his aggression. "Listen, Yulie is my niece, okay. Niece," Joel stated clearly. The doctor still seemed confused, and slowly raised his right hoof to adjust his glasses slightly. He bore a shortly trimmed pink mane, which he plainly disliked. So bright was the color that most would be proud to show it off by growing it, but he seemed to take some sort of embarrassment from anyone even looking its way. The doctor had frustrated him beyond belief by not letting him see Yulie as of yet.

"Then, sir, I am afraid I cannot let you go in quite yet. The filly's parents need to be here to see her before anything else," he said with a tired voice. Joel felt as though he was about to pop from the pressure building in his head. He huffed a heavy breath of air out of his slightly limp jaw.

"Well that isn't going to happen for quite some time, and I need to see her to make absolutely sure that she's alright!" he said with a raising voice.

"Sir, I canno-"

"You think I care what you can and cannot do, you bloody fool?" he cut in, leaving the doctor wide eyed.

"Please reframe from ye-"

"Yelling? Why, because I'll wake up the patients? Hmm? Well what if I were to yell more?" he argued, stepping forth with each question and growing ever louder.

"Sir! I need you to be quiet!" he pushed forward, nearly touching Joel on the nose with his own.

"Well then you will just have to let me see _my_ niece, or _my _voice just _might_ get even louder. I am Joel Moonbeam, brother to Frume Moonbeam, and I will _not_ be denied the right to make one hundred percent certain that my _brother's _daughter is still alright! Do I make myself clear, you blasted fool?" he said between gritting teeth. The doctor seemed scared now, his eyes growing ever wider. "I am family, the only family that isn't currently hunched over in some dank, dark room worried sick about the very filly you are trying to keep me from so persistently. Allow me to see her and I can save everyone more grief than someone like _you_ has come to know in his life!"

"I… um," the doctor stuttered, his ears flattening as he pulled himself back. His white coat hanging closer to the ground, the pony seemed to want to turn and run. "Just please… try not to bother her or the other patients," he squawked.

"I never intended to bother them; I only need to make sure she is safe," Joel stated triumphantly as he strode past. The doctor seemed to take in a deep breath the moment his opponent had passed him by. A wicked smile crept onto the stallion's face for only a moment before fading as he stepped through the door.

A single green gemstone lay cradled in the recess carved into the wall, radiating it's welcoming and lush color onto the white walls in a bloom of color. The light bounced off of the metal of various devices set up to monitor the ponies that would end up in the cots should they need to be looked after specifically, but the patient that lay in the frail cot now did not have any of them hooked up to her. Head wrapped in thick bandages and blanket tucked over her form, Yulie was completely motionless. Her weak breathing seemed to barely raise her chest as she slumbered heavily.

Slowly, Joel walked over to her. As he approached, a nurse stepped in the doorway. He only took his eyes off Yulie for a moment to see that she was simply there for supervision, and then returned his attention in full to his niece. To him, the nurse might as well have not been there.

Kneeling, he looked into her closed eyes and felt himself shiver. _She is going to be alright,_ he told himself _She'll be just fine… she has to be_. "Don't give up on me… on her… on yourself. Please, Yulie… don't give up, not for anything," he shuddered. _She wouldn't want you to, would she?_

There he sat, eyes wet and fears palpable, for what seemed like days. He wouldn't leave her side until either one of them died or she woke up, he knew that the moment he stepped into the room. _I can't abandon you like I did her…_

…

The light winked slowly in and out of existence as a throb ran through the back of her skull. "Hnnng," she moaned as she clenched her eyes shut to avoid the pain that accompanied the bright light. It seemed to outshine even the brightness of the sun during a clear day, and Yulie's head wretched as the light clawed at her head. She could hear the blood pumping between her ears as clearly as her own breathing, and somehow that only made her head feel even worse. She couldn't do anything; it seemed, to make it stop. The migraine, as it surely was one of great strength, was the worst thing she could imagine.

After letting her head rest for an indiscernible amount of time, she finally pulled herself up. This time, when she opened her eyes, the light didn't seem to strike her, but only sting slightly as she struggled to make out her surroundings. It wasn't that she couldn't see anything, but rather, she couldn't think of what it was she was seeing. The… _thing_ hanging from the wall had a name, and she knew what it did. She knew it was meant to tell ponies… something. And she certainly knew what all the ruins scribbled around its circular surface meant, but still, she couldn't recall what it was called.

One thing was certain; it seemed she had become an idiot without ever having realized it. Shaking her head, she scoffed herself. How could she forget what a clock was? It was ridiculous.

Sitting up as she was, with her front hooves pushing her up between her rear legs, she took in the room slowly. Her head still throbbed heavily enough that she could hear it pumping. She pushed herself forward, a motion that would have lifted her to all fours if her legs hadn't given out. Her head was pulsing so heavily she didn't know if she could actually move anything. "Ahhhg" she moaned with displeasure from the uncomfortable fabric that she'd fallen face first into.

"You should rest," someone said from beside the bed, sending a shrill of shivers down Yulie's spine. She sat up so quickly that her head throbbed heavily, though she couldn't care less after hearing that voice. It grated against her mind like gnarled bark, and energy quickly filled her limbs. She wanted to look to him, to turn and lash out, but instead she could only bite her lip in frustration. _Get away_, she wanted to scream.

The room rocked back and forth before her, and she almost fell forward again. Rocking herself backward, she lowered herself to a more stable position, her eyes glued to the cot below her. She opened her mouth, and found the dry air distasteful to her parched throat. She shut it and twisted her tongue before trying to reopen it. "Shut up," she nearly growled, though with far less strength than she'd hoped to use. It came out as more of a yelp.

"Your mother and father have been worried sick these past few months, Yulie," he replied, as if he hadn't even heard her. "We all were."

Heat built up in her head as she slowly turned to the disgusting excuse of a stallion that sat beside her cot. Silently, her eyes came to fall on him, a scowl filling her expressionless face. For a second, she only looked at him as he looked passed her with tears in his eyes. _You don't deserve to be sad for me,_ she thought angrily.

"I don't care what any of you feel anymore… you… you monster!" she said below her breath with a rasp in her voice. Her head felt like it was boiling and yet she couldn't find a single reason to care. Her legs tensed tightly as she fought back tears.

He sat there, silent as he looked into her eyes, for what felt like an hour to Yulie. Her head throbbed with pain as she stared back at him. Again, she began to feel dizzy; though this time she made no effort to change her position. She would bolt out the door if she needed to, no matter how much her body would resist. Eventually, Joel's eyes dropped and he sighed deeply.

"I know what I am," he said aloud, to her shock.

She blinked, certain she had dreamt him saying it. Her eyes grew wide and tears rimmed them, blurring her vision. _He can't mean that… this is a trick._

The streams from Joel's closed eyes were glimmering now with the light in the room, and he looked truly sad for the first time she could remember. "I didn't ever want to admit it… How could I?" he asked, his eyes opening as he addressed her. She remained silent, and by some silent consent, he turned to the small window and continued. "I am a monster… I can never forget that all my life. I did terrible things and I lost the most important thing in my life because of it. I just wanted to help her… I thought I was just giving her a push in the right direction."

"A push?" she whispered, looking at her uncle with mixed feelings. A single tear escaped her left eye and began to roll down her cheek. "You shoved her! You may as well have put her out on a plank and told her there was only one way out. She was cornered!" Yulie said with a raising voice. Joel kept looking out the window, silent in his seat. "How could you not see that? Angie couldn't take it!"

"Angie was the most beautiful, brilliant pony I have ever met… I never told her that because I thought she would become void and shallow in a pool of self-indulging pride."

"So you found _this_ to be a better alternative? She thought you and her mother hated her! More than anything she wanted you to love her and you couldn't just do that for her? Your own daughter? Do you have any idea what that's like?" Yulie screamed, tears dripping from her chin.

Joel remained silent for a long moment. Somepony was standing in the doorway to the room now, but they made no effort to intrude, nor did they slip away. "I am not worthy to be thought of as her father, Yulie, just like I am not worthy of being named your uncle. I would any moment, without hesitation, take her place where she lays now… How could I not see how much I'd hurt her?" Joel nearly whispered, trembling as he spoke.

Yulie drew in breathe deeply into her chest, and held it there while the pain in her skull pulsed. She couldn't contain her emotions, and the migraine still would not show any sign of letting up. She just wanted to curl up and die for the next few hours while she waited for it all to fade from her, and yet she couldn't take her eyes off her so called uncle. _He knows_, she thought, _he knows and sees what he did finally. _She wanted to hate him, to see him as nothing but a material obsessed freak, but his emotion was evident. He was so shamed that even now he couldn't look her in the eyes. Sitting there, he simply looked on with empty eyes and wished he could fix what he'd done.

The air emptied from Yulie's lungs in a deep sigh and she somehow pulled herself up on all fours. She was still in a great deal of pain, and from what she could tell, her head would never let up. Wavering, she lowered herself off the cot and stumbled past him. Joel made no move to stop her, nor did he even flinch at the sound of her hooves hitting the wood of the floor. Lightheaded as she was, the young filly made her way for the door.

"She loved you," he said from behind her, stopping her dead in her tracks. "She loved you so much, Yulie. She wanted you to be happy, and was always thinking of things she could do to cheer you up," he paused, his voice cracking near the end of his statement. With a gulp, he continued, "Please… don't forget that."

The filly shivered with emotion as a fresh coating of fluid overwhelmed her vision. Without saying a word, she walked toward the door and glanced at the pony standing in the doorway. It was Cider, who slowly stepped to the side to let her out. The mare had a concerned expression about her, and she followed Yulie down the hall as she stumbled. All in the hospital was quiet enough that she could almost hear the crackling energy in the stones that gave light to the hall.

After a while, Yulie leaned against a wall and sunk slightly, the pain in her head too immense to continue. The dressing around her head was beginning to soak with sweet, and she feared for a moment that it would come loose. She lowered herself to a sitting position, breathing heavily as she shuddered from her emotions and head alike. Cider, without a word, sat beside her and looked toward the wall across from them.

"Why did you run away, Dreary?" she asked softly. Her voice was filled with concern, but was also very soft and smooth. Yulie let out a brief chuckle at the mention of her alias, and thought for a moment. "You don't have to tell me the whole thing… but at least let me know why you had to."

"I was scared… Is that so hard to understand?" she asked as she curled into herself slightly. Her memories were skewed with pain, but she could still speak of the events without much trouble. Why she wanted to, she couldn't say, but it somehow made her fell just a bit better to have someone show concern for her for once.

Cider shook her head, the bow in her ponytail bobbing with the motion. "No, it isn't. I was scared of my family too."

"It's not the same," Yulie instantly cut in.

"When is it ever the same between two ponies? We're all different, after all," she answered softly still. The filly couldn't help but see her reasoning.

"I guess… but I was scared of not being good enough. It's not like a monster was after me," she paused, and looked in the direction of the door they'd come from. "Or at least, not the kind you'd think."

"Perhaps… but I think I might understand more than you know. Your parents expected a lot of you?"

"Yes… way more than I could ever hope to be," she said with sorrow. A moment passed and she shook her head slowly. "Why am I telling you this? It doesn't matter anymore… I can't run now," she whispered with despair. Yulie scratched her hoof against the tiles of the floor as seconds ticked by with silence.

"Are you sure you couldn't run anymore?" The filly pulled her head up to meet Cider's eyes at that, a single lid lifted slightly in question. "Well, your head will get better, I think. Joel doesn't seem to be chasing you down… so if I am right, it seems that it isn't a matter of you being unable to run," she said calmly. Yulie exhaled in deep breaths to keep herself from cutting in, for she knew that what the old mare was saying was true. "You don't want to… now do you, Yulie?"

Her head went limp and she closed her eyes, breathing more erratically from the torrent of emotion. _I just can't,_ she thought. "I… no, I don't want to anymore," she admitted, her voice losing all edge. "I am so tired… so sick of lying… It all makes me feel terrible, maybe even more than living with my family." A drip of sweet dropped from her chin after having streamed down her cheek from the now moist bandages.

She thought of it more and more, and it only seemed truer with each passing moment. She hated to lie… to be Dreary and not Yulie. She wanted so badly to be able to trust somepony… anypony, really. No matter how much it would hurt her in the end; it seemed worth the risk if she could just stop being alone already. "I've been so… _alone_ since Angie left," she whispered to herself, not caring if she was heard.

Some time passed as the light flickered gently from above them, and it started to hurt less for Yulie to keep her eyes open. It still felt like her eyes would pop out of her head, but now it wasn't so much that she couldn't think clearly. Cider brought her hoof to Yulie's and, with concern that was much warmer to her than a smile could have been, she asked, "Can you tell me what happened to your cousin? Angie, I think her name was?"

A tingle ran down her spine, and her head became light with energy and pain. _No!_ She thought she'd scream at any moment. Slowly, however, she found herself warming up to the thought. She never had shared what happened between her and Angie with anyone, not even her parents before she'd left home. Looking over to Cider, she wondered something for a few moments in silence. The red haired filly considered the option for a long while, unsure what to say… or, rather, if she should say anything at all.

_If I trust her, she can hurt me more than anypony else_, she thought. Her eyes met Cider's then, and for a moment, she thought she was looking deep into her being. Blinking, the filly couldn't find the word to describe what it felt like. She had been lying so long, and still yet was being lied to, but Cider had a different look in her eye. She seemed honest… trustworthy, almost. Relief splashed with her mind as her head cooled slightly, the pressure falling as a weight was lifted. _I will trust you, then_, she nodded.

"Angie… she loved to learn so much… she was so smart, I couldn't believe how far she had gone. Nopony thought she'd ever flunk out of school, and when she did, there was no one who would give her the time of day. _Uncle_ Joel, if that is what I can call him, was the worst of them all… he never reassured her, not even once," she said, pausing to think as she looked around Cider toward the door they had come from.

"We were so close, Angie and I… She would tell me everything, that's what I thought. She… She kept the worst parts to herself. I think in some way she was trying to protect me from herself, somehow. She didn't want me to see her as being fearful, or weak. I'd never do what the others did to her, but she didn't know that," Yulie paused, tears filling her eyes. Cider's frown seemed to deepen, and she pulled the filly into a hug. She flinched at first, but slowly, she was able to relax.

"She," Yulie gasped, her emotion overcoming her again. "She couldn't… she couldn't take it all. She hated herself more than anyone else did, and not one of us knew it until a month after she'd come back home," tears streaming down her face, Yulie shook as she spoke. "It wasn't until it was too late that any of us saw it. We were all so stupid, all of us. Even me… I thought my own problems were so much worse, and she had come to me for help!" she cried.

"Yulie… I am so sorry," Cider whispered. Something wet hit her ear, and she shuddered again.

The filly pulled herself, away, her face soaked with tears and snot. Looking up at the mare, who bore such sorrow and understand in her own eyes, she said in the midst of a gasp, "She's gone, Cider. She's gone forever," Yulie cried. She pulled herself into the older mare, soaking her coat. "Angie committed suicide, and it's all our fault!"


End file.
